Telco Security
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4G/LTE Attacks

DoS Attacks

HIGH SEVERITY
Overview

Denial of Service attacks on LTE networks aim to disrupt service availability by overwhelming network resources, exploiting protocol vulnerabilities, or jamming radio frequencies.

Technical Overview

LTE DoS attacks can target various layers: radio interface through jamming, protocol layer through malformed messages, or core network through resource exhaustion. Attackers exploit the complexity of LTE protocols and the shared nature of radio resources.

Impact
Potential consequences of this attack
  • •Service disruption for targeted devices or areas
  • •Emergency services unavailability
  • •Business continuity impact
  • •Network resource exhaustion
  • •Cascading failures in network infrastructure
Attack Vectors
Methods used to execute this attack
  • •Radio jamming of LTE frequencies
  • •Malformed RRC message injection
  • •Attach/detach storm generation
  • •Resource exhaustion through fake devices
  • •Exploiting protocol state machines
Attack Methodology
Step-by-step attack execution process
  1. 1Identify target network and frequencies
  2. 2Deploy jamming equipment or rogue eNodeB
  3. 3Generate malformed protocol messages
  4. 4Create attach/detach storms
  5. 5Exhaust network resources (RACH, bearers)
  6. 6Monitor impact and adjust attack parameters
Mitigations & Defense
Protective measures and countermeasures
  • Implement rate limiting and anomaly detection
  • Deploy anti-jamming technologies
  • Use protocol validation and filtering
  • Implement resource allocation controls
  • Monitor for DoS attack patterns
  • Deploy redundant network infrastructure
Real-World Examples
Known incidents and use cases
  • →Targeted DoS at political events
  • →Criminal attacks for extortion
  • →Competitive attacks between carriers
  • →Protest disruption by authorities
  • →Cyber warfare scenarios

Related Attacks

4G/LTE Attacks
Rogue eNodeB

Rogue eNodeB attacks involve deploying fake LTE base stations that impersonate legitimate network infrastructure to intercept communications and perform man-in-the-middle attacks.

4G/LTE Attacks
MitM Attacks

Man-in-the-Middle attacks on LTE networks position the attacker between the device and legitimate network infrastructure to intercept, monitor, and manipulate communications.

4G/LTE Attacks
VoLTE Exploits

Voice over LTE (VoLTE) exploits target vulnerabilities in the IMS architecture and SIP protocol to intercept calls, perform denial of service, or manipulate call routing.

References & Further Reading